A piezoelectric material has piezoelectric effect of generating electromotive force in response to an external pressure and reverse piezoelectric effect of expanding and contracting in response to a voltage applied thereto. Various piezoelectric devices have been manufactured by making use of these effects. However, since the magnitudes of the piezoelectric effect and the reverse piezoelectric effect obtained from one sheet of piezoelectric material are very small, a plurality of sheets of piezoelectric material have been stacked to provide a multi-layer electronic component.
The multi-layer electronic component of the prior art is manufactured by forming a stack of column-like configuration (for example, rectangular prism) from dielectric material layers and internal electrode layers placed alternately one on another, and firing the dielectric material layers and internal electrode layers that constitute the stack at the same time. The plurality of internal electrodes are exposed alternately in either of opposing side faces among the four side faces of the column-shaped stack. External electrodes are formed on the two side faces where the internal electrodes are exposed, and the internal electrodes are connected alternately to either of the two external electrodes in every other layer.
The multi-layer electronic component of the prior art is obtained by forming the column-shaped stack constituted from a plurality of green ceramic sheets having a paste printed thereon to form the internal electrodes, placed one on another, and firing the column-shaped stack in a crucible made of ceramics (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-284900).